Road Trip - A Kind of Flying Adventure - Look What Followed Me Home...

rcflier

Experienced Gyroplane Pilot
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
702
Location
Nexø (Denmark)
Aircraft
Auto-Gyro MTO Sport 914 (upgraded MT-03)
Total Flight Time
35 as PIC
Hi. Finally the proud sudden owner of a gyro with a Rotax four-stroke engine.
I just did a road trip - bought a second hand gyro. In Sweden. Much like the one I rented to fly
from Sweden to Denmark on my first Gyro Adventure Week-end.

This MT-03 bought new in 2007 by the seller and in 2008 (edit: Probably later) upgraded to MTO Sport (by Auto-Gyro people).
Sweet running Rotax 914 Turbo engine with a run time of 531 hours. The old rotor, thus with 169 hours left.
Transponder mode S and radio from 2007 - probably 25 kHz only. And standard Auto-Gyro instrumentation.

Fortunately I have a friend with a wide auto trailer and I had brought one of our inspectors, a former F-16 mechanic.
We didn't really have anything to complain about. Only thing was a few small, very soft bumps on one blade because of flapping
caused by ice on top of blades. With a dent in the tail repaired nicely. A few things Auto-Gyro should've done differently.
It was just dragged out from storage - not made pretty or anything - an honest machine.

He said goodbye to the gyro with a very convincing demo flight. At no time did he use full throttle yanking and banking.

So now I have to earn my license - I have run out of excuses. In denmark we don't have any clubs with gyros to rent, we need
access to a gyro somehow. So, looking at the advert, I thought: "This is my chance". And I do love the adventure of a road trip.
If I didn't like the gyro - well, I had done what I could. And I wouldn't think: What if... But it is a sweet gyro I can use for schooling.

Cheers
ErikBjorn1.jpg
The seller preparing to fly.
GasStation.jpg
On our way home.
 
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Congratulations Erik!
She looks great to me.
I wish you all the best on your gyroplane adventure.
 
Well done Erik. Good luck with your training. Which SE machine is it ?
 
Sweet, thanks for sharing!!!
 
Well done Erik. Good luck with your training. Which SE machine is it ?

Hi Steve. It's SE-VJZ.

When I get ready to register, it will be OY-10xx. (I wonder what number I'll get)

Cheers
Erik
 
Thanks Erik - My wild guess somewhere in the region of OY-1039 give or take a couple.

Please let us know as you progress with training and making it "OY" - best wishes.
 
I was just told it will be OY-1038...
 
Well, an honest machine insofar as it needs a large service check. The owner has never officially bought any spare part.:oops:
And maintained the machine all by himself. Oh, and flown without renewing his license and registration for many years .

He wrote that in his advert, so it was no surprise - but I had thought a newer, official certificate of airworthiness was enough - it wasn't :eek:

Large scale, structural work on an a flying machine without any document....The Danish chief of "stuff" wanted some
paperwork, which I couldn't give him. It looked like I had bought an expensive pile of spare parts...:cry:o_O:mad:

I checked it out and found worn fuel lines, but the rotor is OK. So no need to go out and buy a new one right away.

I found some paperwork from one of the five other owners, and the Chief of Stuff seemed satisfied. Shortly after that,
I got another email from the company who had sold the gyro back then, explaining matters in great detail.
My problem had been referred to him by the CEO of Auto-Gyro, whom I had asked for help (y)

So it has ended well - HOORAAYY :D Now I can buy what I need to be sure it's REALLY airworthy. Giving it a large service check.
And then an inspector will go over it in great detail, before he declares it airworthy.

Cheers
Erik
 
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Can you ship it to auto-gyro and have them go through it to get it airworthy?
 
That would not be a great idea... Expensive. Not for my wallet. And it's not rocket science after all.
Doing the work myself with help from "Rotax-owners" and other knowledgeable people
is a great learning process and I have to maintain it myself.
It will be checked out by someone very competent before registration.

Cheers
Erik
 
Well, well.
One propeller blade has delaminated from the foam core. Not unusual, from what I've read.
I may try to reglue and balance it, but I'm ready to buy a new propeller - of another brand.
I won't get bitten twice - unless I find a smokin' deal.

But to avoid a costly and dangerous noise certification I need to find a propeller, that has been tested on a MTO Sport (or maybe MT-03).
Has anyone made a noise measurement on a Bolly Magnum 3 blade prop I can refer to?
Or maybe some other likely candidate...

Cheers
Erik
 
Well, well.
One propeller blade has delaminated from the foam core. Not unusual, from what I've read.
I may try to reglue and balance it, but I'm ready to buy a new propeller - of another brand.
I won't get bitten twice - unless I find a smokin' deal.

But to avoid a costly and dangerous noise certification I need to find a propeller, that has been tested on a MTO Sport (or maybe MT-03).
Has anyone made a noise measurement on a Bolly Magnum 3 blade prop I can refer to?
Or maybe some other likely candidate...

Cheers
Erik
Get hold of Christene Toves. IIRC she's a dealer for Bolly.
 
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I ended up buying an AeroProp. Great price - much cheaper than a new HTC or IVO.

The fuel system was not to my liking (false air), so I tried to change it, but the tank outlets
for the connector tube were too close to the filters - I tried a solution that didn't work.

And as soon as I have changed the fuel system into that of the MTO (waiting for parts),
I can start the engine and check if the propeller is installed correctly.
I had to open up the center hole with a boring head; it was 1" and 47 mm was needed - oops.

The RPM at full power, zero speed has to have a certain value (5200 for the 914, AFAIR).
If not, then I'll have to adjust the incident of the blades.

The shoulder harness were missing some plastic bits, so I bought a new one. Since january 2018,
the radio can not be used when flying through Sweden and in Copenhagen FIR, so I bought a new one (8.33).
New bolts and nuts for the rotor blades and new fuel hoses. A Flycom helmet my size, converted
to use with the new digital Funke 833S radio and a converter board so I can use the old wiring harness.
Plus some chemicals to clean and preserve the body and engine. Spark plugs, filter and oil.
The brakes needed cleaning and a change of brake fluid. Engine coolant also.

A never ending list, it looks like. But getting closer all the time.

Cheers
Erik
 

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I admire you tenacity and spirit Eric.

I would be frustrated with the delays and probably develop a bad attitude.

I resent it when there is lovely flying weather and my gyroplane or my circumstances cause me to miss the opportunity.
 
You certainly have begun a journey, but it seems with a very good attitude. Congratulations on your purchase and good luck with this adventure.

You will certainly know your machine when you are learning to fly her which is a good thing.

Good luck and happy flying.

P.S. I do like that colour.
 
OY-1039 is finally officially airworthy. Someone rich bought a Cavalon and snatched the OY-1038 designation.

But that is just great, as OY-1039 was the tail number I originally asked for...

The mostly small issues I fixed were approved and the airworthiness certificate is on its way.

My "Two Weeks" lasted two years minus one day.

So, instead of owning a set of expensive spare parts I now own an aircraft.

New propeller (Aero Prop), new 8.33 radio (F.U.N.K.E.) and new rotor (Gyro-Tech)...

I have passed ground school (9 tests) and am in the process of (hopefully) getting my radio operator license.

Then all that's left is to fly it with my instructor.... :D

Cheers
Erik
 

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Congratulations!!!
I find your tenacity an inspiration.
I wish you all the best on your gyroplane adventure.
Hopefully you can find some tail winds.
 
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